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IS THIS LOVE

CHAPTER 49

Rosemary Kennard was pouring over the draft plans for the activities the library ran in the weeks running up to Thanksgiving and Christmas. She liked to be well ahead with her planning so she could order whatever she needed and make sure she had the staff resources that would help the events run successfully. But thoughts of Thanksgiving and Christmas had lead her to think about Bette and Tina – it would be good to have the blonde as part of the celebrations. She was idly wondering if it was too soon to mention this to Bette when someone knocked at the door
“Yes”
The door opened and the tall, always elegant figure of Helena Peabody walked in
“Hello Rosemary”
“Helena – its lovely to see you “
“Your assistant said it was okay for me to come back here “
“Of course – come in – sit down- would you like anything ?”
“Thank you but no – I am heading off for a lunch with mother’s lawyers – she’s out of the country for another couple of weeks and she assumes that I can read her mind so it should be fun “
“Well its lovely to see you “
“And I also wanted to hand this over in case I didn’t get over to see you and Melvin before the weekend – I am going over to London for a few days “
Helena put a large gift bag on the desk and sat down
“Helena – thank you so much “
“Pleasure “
Helena had been planning her own part in knocking on the head any rumours about her and Tina. She had hidden it well but she had been irritated by finding out how Emma was playing her and Bette off to get the best girlfriend for her daughter. A daughter who was more than capable of using her own charms to get Bette. Helena wasn’t going to let anything or anyone do damage to her relationship with her best friend Bette. It seemed that Tina respected Helena’s part in Bette’s life and now Helena was going to show that she was capable of doing the same. So she had arranged it so she was here – the morning after the night before.
Helena lent back and smiled at Rosemary
“So – tell me how your anniversary party went “
Rosemary grinned “You know already”
“Truly I haven’t – Bette’s busy or I would have found out from her and even my grass James was too busy to talk “
Rosemary nodded “I assume that you knew that Bette was about to drop a bombshell on us?”
“A blonde bombshell ?” Helena replied
“I wouldn’t call Tina Kennard that “
Helena laughed “So you know that Bette and Tina have been having fun”
“Yes – and at our expense as well “
“Do you blame them ?” Helena asked
“No – Melvin was always telling me that interfering in Bette’s life might backfire “
“It didn’t backfire though “
“Was she ever angry with us ?” Rosemary had worried about that – Bette could be unpredictable.
“No – of course not . In case you didn’t figure it out last night Bette is very much in love with Tina “
“And in your opinion it’s a two way thing ?”
“In my opinion Bette has not been this besotted for as long as I have known her. Tina feels the same for Bette- she is crazy about Bette and it shows I have had lunch and dinner with them a few times and they came to The Bahamas with me to get the Peggy Peabody seal of approval which they got. My mother likes Tina a great deal – she impressed her and if anything she is harder to please for Bette than you are.”
“I wondered what Peggy had thought “
“Huge hit “ Helena confirmed “ Mother and I were in agreement that we hadn’t seen Bette so goofy “
Rosemary snapped her fingers “That’s the word – that is exactly the word. I was trying to put my finger on how Bette had been around Tina and yes – goofy is the word.”
“Bette is crazy about her and its more and reciprocated by Tina. They get on really well – have the same sort of sense of humour and all that “
Rosemary looked at Helena – she greatly respected her daughter best friend
“Is this going to last Helena ?”
Helena gave her assessment without hesitation – she had prepared herself mentally for this question which she had known was coming her way
“Yes – if they don’t get weighed down with parental expectation “
Rosemary looked sheepish “I have already had that from Melvin “
“Rosemary – they are happy and for the last three months I have seen such a change in Bette – as we have both implied she doesn’t do goofy but suddenly she is – she has really met a woman who can keep up with her – even outstrip her on things. Its early days but it is looking really positive . My point is Rosemary that if they have a row – just let them sort it out. They both have their anxieties about what is happening but that is perfectly normal”
“I worry that I am the parental expectation you are referring to “
Helena didn’t want to say too much – even if she hadn’t already. But she did need to warn Bette’s mom that Tina’s mom might not be the wonderful person she was thinking that she was at the moment. Helena’s great grandfather had been a British diplomat – hopefully such skills were genetic and they had just missed a generation with Peggy
“Do you know why Bette and Tina kept their relationship a secret for so long – something that was not easy and something that did not sit well with Bette ?”
Rosemary had been idly doodling – she looked up at the change in Helena’s tone
“To inflict some punishment on the three of us ?”
Helena shook her head
“Why ? – Bette was just bursting with proud when she told us last night – so was Tina “
“And you were delighted and so was Melvin “ Helena said
Rosemary was silent for a few seconds before asking
“Emma ?”
Helena shrugged “She’s not the easiest person “
“Last night I overheard Tina and Bette talking – I shamelessly listened – apparently Emma was under the impression that her daughter was dating a certain millionaire “
The look on Helena’s face told Rosemary that Helena knew all about this and was not happy about it
“Its bull crap – firstly Bette and I have a very strict rule that no woman comes between us and although I like Tina and she is certainly pretty – well I like my women with a lot more spunk than Tina Kennard. She is perfect for Bette – I like my women with more dynamite in their tanks. They are well suited”
Rosemary nodded – the few women of Helena’s that she had met had certainly been different to Tina. She still wasn’t sure if she understood what Helena was driving at.
“So why did Bette and Tina keep their relationship secret for so long ? “ Rosemary paused
“Are you telling me that you all think that Emma doesn’t think that Bette is good enough for her daughter ?”
Helena realised that the diplomatic core had missed nothing when she hadn’t applied after University. She had put the reverse idea into Rosemary’s mind – shit
“No “ Helena said reverting back to her usual approach “I am telling you with some proof that Tina is certain that now that Emma knows she is with Bette she is going to get hounded to “ get a proper job “ and orders to smarten herself up and all that sort of crap. Rosemary – Bette is genuinely in love with Tina – she doesn’t care how little she earns “
“No – no Helena – Emma would never think that – she might have tried to get the two of you together but that was just because she was getting frustrated getting Bette with Tina”
Evidence was what was needed here.